1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to spring-biased brackets for resiliently mounting mudflaps to a vehicle frame. In one of its aspects, the invention relates to a mudflap mounting bracket formed of a hollow tube from sheet metal and including a mounting plate, a frame seat mating with the mounting plate and yieldably biased to the mounting plate through a spring mounted at one end within the hollow tube and at the other end to the frame seat. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a mudflap mounting bracket with a vibration absorbing gasket for mounting between the frame seat and the vehicle frame. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a mudflap mounting bracket which is adapted to mount to several different hole configurations in a vehicle frame. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a mudflap mounting bracket in which a mudflap bracket is mounted in a frame bracket socket for pivotal movement. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a mudflap mounting bracket which has a protected conspicuity reflector mounted thereto. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a mudflap mounting bracket which has the same appearance on each side so that the bracket can be mounted to either side of the vehicle. In another of its aspects, the invention relates to a mudflap mounting bracket in which the tube wall, formed from sheet material, is reinforced at the inner end by the mounting plate.
2. Description of the Related Art
Mudflap brackets having a horizontal tube with a longitudinal mudflap mounting flange on its underside are known. Such brackets comprise a vehicle frame-mounted plate having bolts or studs of a predetermined, fixed separation, often selected to match existing manufacturer provided apertures in the vehicle frame. A proximate end of the horizontal tube is held against the frame-mounted plate, generally in an abutting relationship, by the bias of an elongate spring residing in the tube, the spring connected at one end to the frame-mounted plate and at the other end to the tube, at a location on the tube distal from the vehicle frame. Other prior art embodiments include a mounting plate fastened to the proximate end of the tube, such as by brazing or welding, the tube abutting the flat mounting plate. The mounting plate will generally include a central aperture to allow passage of the spring from the interior of the tube to the frame-mounted plate.
The abutting relationship of the horizontal tube and mounting plate to the frame-mounted plate often results in misalignment of the tube, which occurs when the tube is struck or subjected to the forces experienced by the vehicle travelling down the road. The bias of the elongate spring often cannot overcome the misalignment by itself. Comers or edges between the mounting plate, or tube, and the frame-mounted plate catch or hang up on each other, preventing realignment of the tube.
The advent of regulations requiring the addition of conspicuity markers to over-the-road trucks has prompted truck owners and manufacturers to devise ways to provide the required markers on their truck. These solutions include modifying the mudflap brackets to provide additional room for conspicuity markers, providing adapters to attach to the mudflap brackets and carry the conspicuity markers, and taking self-adhesive conspicuity tape such as a retroreflective tape and plastering it over the existing mudflap bracket. These installations can look sloppy, and usually provide minimal protection to the conspicuity markers, resulting in a loss of effectiveness and useful life, thereby increasing cost and maintenance time.
It would be advantageous to provide a mudflap bracket that can overcome the disadvantages of the prior art brackets in the alignment of the mudflap bracket when subjected to a displacing load. It would further be advantageous to provide mudflap brackets properly configured to provide conspicuity markers that are properly located and protected to help truck owners comply with the law while increasing the effective life of those markers by properly protecting them from damage.
According to the invention, a spring-biased mudflap bracket assembly includes a hollow tube with a mounting plate at a proximate end and a frame seat mating to the mounting plate and yieldably biased into contact with the mounting plate by a spring mounted at one end within the hollow tube and to the frame seat at another end. Optionally, a vibration-absorbing gasket is mounted on an outer surface of the frame seat and adapted to abut the vehicle frame when the bracket assembly is mounted to a vehicle frame.
In one embodiment, the outer surface of the frame seat has a recess and the vibration-absorbing gasket is positioned in the recess. The vibration-absorbing gasket is preferably annular. Further, at least one fastener is mounted to the frame seat and projects through the open central portion of the annular gasket.
In another embodiment, the frame seat has three apertures in vertical alignment. A central one of the apertures has a spacing to an upper aperture different than a spacing to a lower aperture. A pair of mounting fasteners are received in two of the three apertures for mounting the frame seat to a vehicle frame. Preferably, the three apertures are threaded and the mounting fasteners are threadably received in two of the three apertures. The fasteners can be studs or bolts.
In yet another embodiment, a concave perimetrical channel in the frame seat mates with a complementary convex annular projection on the mounting plate. The concave perimetrical channel is preferably arcuate in cross section and forms a socket for the mounting plate when the mounting plate rotates with respect to the frame seat. The frame seat has a central portion that extends axially of the concave perimetrical channel and into the mounting plate, and the central portion includes an eye which extends into the hollow tube.
In a preferred embodiment, the hollow tube has at least one sidewall including a longitudinal recess in an exterior surface thereof and a conspicuity reflector mounted in the longitudinal recess. In one embodiment, the vertical face of the hollow tube tapers in height from the proximate end to a distal end. In another embodiment, the vertical face of the hollow tube is substantially uniform in height from the proximate end to the distal end. In another embodiment, a distal portion of the tube is displaced downwardly at an angle from the generally horizontal proximate portion of the tube.
In a further embodiment, the hollow tube has opposing vertical faces, each face having a longitudinal recess and a conspicuity reflector mounted in the longitudinal recess, the recess being defined by an overhanging brow and an underlying sill.
In another embodiment, a double-headed bolt mounts the spring to the hollow tube. The hollow tube comprises opposing sidewalls, the double-headed bolt passing through aligned apertures in the opposing sidewalls. The double-headed bolt comprises heads presenting a substantially identical appearance on outer surfaces of the sidewalls of the hollow tube.
In still another embodiment, the mounting plate has a tube-engaging wall which extends into the hollow tube and supports the proximate end of the hollow tube. The tube-engaging wall bears against an inner surface of the hollow tube and the mounting plate is secured to the hollow tube by welding or embossing.